Shepard heads toward 3rd term

Published: Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at 11:16 PM.

Phil Shepard is headed toward a third term as the representative for the 15th District in the N.C. House of Representatives after winning this week’s Republican primary.

Shepard, a retired Camp Lejeune employee and current church minister, beat his opponent Jim Morton with 3,267 to 849 votes, or 79.37 percent to 20.63 percent, according to the unofficial vote count from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. Shepard said he feels “pretty pleased” about his victory and says he plans on getting back to work next week, after a little rest and exercise over the next couple of days.

“I plan on continuing doing what’s best for the people of Onslow County,” Shepard said. He said he wants to work to “foster an environment of growth” in the state.

He also said he wants to “get our hard working state workers and teachers a raise,” all while balancing the budget, which he said will be the most difficult issue facing the new term.

As chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, he said it is also important to “better things for our highways and infrastructure,” including putting down asphalt and new pavement on roads with great need.

Morton, a retired vocational education teacher and farmer, said Tuesday afternoon that even if he didn’t win the primary, he would continue working to get a vocational college established and getting the Jacksonville bypass construction completed to connect with U.S. 258 and U.S. 17 South.

Phil Shepard is headed toward a third term as the representative for the 15th District in the N.C. House of Representatives after winning this week’s Republican primary.

Shepard, a retired Camp Lejeune employee and current church minister, beat his opponent Jim Morton with 3,267 to 849 votes, or 79.37 percent to 20.63 percent, according to the unofficial vote count from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. Shepard said he feels “pretty pleased” about his victory and says he plans on getting back to work next week, after a little rest and exercise over the next couple of days.

“I plan on continuing doing what’s best for the people of Onslow County,” Shepard said. He said he wants to work to “foster an environment of growth” in the state.

He also said he wants to “get our hard working state workers and teachers a raise,” all while balancing the budget, which he said will be the most difficult issue facing the new term.

As chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, he said it is also important to “better things for our highways and infrastructure,” including putting down asphalt and new pavement on roads with great need.

Morton, a retired vocational education teacher and farmer, said Tuesday afternoon that even if he didn’t win the primary, he would continue working to get a vocational college established and getting the Jacksonville bypass construction completed to connect with U.S. 258 and U.S. 17 South.

“We just need to get it done,” he said.

Morton was not available for comment Tuesday night after the results were posted.